1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope image shooting system using a microscope digital camera that shoots a sample image of a microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the popularization of high-performance digital cameras, microscope images have been being shot by connecting a digital camera to a microscope. A microscope used for such a microscope observation includes an optical path for directing a sample image to an eyepiece lens, and an optical path for directing the sample image to a digital camera. By switching between these optical paths, the sample image can be directed to the eyepiece lens or the digital camera, or the sample image can be simultaneously directed to both of the optical paths by dividing the amount of light.
If the sample image is simultaneously directed to both of the optical paths by dividing the amount of light, the amount of light can be set, for example, in three ways: (1) at a ratio of 100%:0% (the eyepiece lens side:the camera side), (2) at a ratio of 50%:50% (the eyepiece lens side:the camera side), and (3) at a ratio of 0%:100% (the eyepiece lens side:the camera side). If the amount of light is split between both the eyepiece lens side and the camera side as in (2), a ratio of the amount of light split can be changed. The sample image directed to the eyepiece lens can be observed by looking through the eyepiece lens.
In the meantime, the sample image directed to the digital camera is image-processed by the digital camera, so that digital image data is generated. The generated digital image data of the sample image can be displayed on a monitor. Accordingly, an observer can observe the sample image displayed on the monitor. Moreover, a sample image directed to the digital camera is continuously image-processed, and its digital image data is displayed on the monitor, whereby the observer can observe the sample image in real time (hereinafter referred to as a live image display).
Accordingly, the observer can select from among observing using the eyepiece lens, observing using the live image display of the digital camera, and using both manners of observing. Therefore, the observer can search for a point to be observed while viewing a sample image displayed as a live image, and can observe the image with the eyepiece lens.
Additionally, if a microscope image is obtained by shooting a sample image, the observer can shoot a sharp microscope image by switching to the optical path for directing the total amount of light of the sample image to the digital camera. In this case, the amount of light directed to the digital camera is changed by optical path switching. Recent digital cameras have been enabled to detect the amount of light directed thereto, and to adjust an exposure time thereof. As a result, it is possible to shoot an image with a constant level of brightness even with a different amount of light.
However, a predetermined length of time is needed until the digital camera is adjusted to an optimum exposure time. Therefore, it is impossible to shoot an image immediately after optical path switching. Moreover, if the optical path for directing a sample image to both the eyepiece lens and the digital camera is set, light incident from the outside of the microscope is directed from the eyepiece lens, the light invades into the optical path on the side of the digital camera, and external light is sometimes shot. Therefore, if an observer forgets to perform optical path switching and shoots an image with the setting of the optical path for directing a sample image to both the eyepiece lens and the digital camera unchanged, it is possible that light other than the sample image will be shot. Accordingly, the observer needs to appropriately perform optical path switching.
In the meantime, the following methods related to optical path switching at the time of a microscope observation are known. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-128429 discloses a microscope system that includes a small optical path switching unit and electrically switches an optical path. Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-47116 discloses a technique for adjusting the amount of illumination light of a microscope at the time optical path switching is performed and for obtaining an optimum amount of light irrespective of an optical path.